Tourism ExSEllence Awards
4th November 2008
Categories: Media News Archive
Final line-up announced for the prestigious Tourism ExSEllence Awards
The winners are sailing centre Sailnet UK Ltd, based at Brighton Marina (Winner of two categories - Best Tourism Experience and Sports Tourism) and Hastings Food and Wine (Flavour of the South East category).
There was significant success across East and West Sussex with Runners Up and Highly Commended Awards going to 9 organisations. Runners Up included Pallant House(Access for All category), Hovel and Hop House, Windmill (Self Catering), Crowhurst Park, Battle (Tourism Website), Best Western Gatwick(Business Tourism) and employee Nancy Joy from Butlins in Bognor Regis (Outstanding Customer Service). The four businesses awarded a Highly Commended were (Business Tourism), Rye Lodge Hotel, Rye (Small Hotel), M’s Cycle(Sports Tourism) and Visit Eastbourne (Tourism Website).
With a total of 15 Award categories, including ‘Sports Tourism’, ‘Best Tourism Experience’ and ‘Business Tourism’, the Tourism ExSEllence Awards are the premier awards for the tourism
industry in the South East, managed by Tourism South East. They cover all kinds of tourism organisations, from small Bed & Breakfast businesses to large exclusive hotels and visitor experiences. Winners in this region will go on to compete in the national Enjoy England
Awards for Excellence in 2009.
Judges are looking for excellence, quality and innovation covering all aspects of the business, from Customer Service, Sales & Marketing, to Training & Development for staff.
Judge of the Best Tourism Experience category Roger Budden felt Sailnet to be the outright winner due to its ‘Excellent product range that has been invested in and developed over the last year to offer an increasingly wide range of experiences for the customer.’ He was impressed by the move to provide new on-site self-catering accommodation, and to buy a luxury yacht to broaden the training and experience offered. Flavour of the South judge Henriette Reinders described Hasting Food and Wine Festival as ‘An excellent festival that has grown considerably over the last few years’ and a ‘Great promotion for local food and fish – contributing millions to the local economy.’
And it was Sailnet again that impressed judge of the Sports Tourism category Lindsey Horton so much that she declared the centre as the winner, describing it as ‘A fantastic product …with promising signs of becoming a high level sports tourism product.’
was also pleased to feature twice – as Runner Up and receiving a Highly Commended in the Award scheme. Judge of the Access for All category, Brian Seaman, was very impressed with the effort that had gone into providing facilities for disabled people. And Judge of the Business Tourism category, Alan Blenkinsopp, described the Gallery as a ‘A wonderful venue for an away day, corporate event or dinner party.’
Judge of the Outstanding Customer Service category Stephanie Edwards (Managing Director of Customer 1st International Ltd), explains that Runner Up Nancy Joy from Butlins in‘lives and breaths Butlins, visiting as a child and never wanting to work anywhere else.’ Stephanie continues; ‘Because she cares passionately about her customers she has excelled. Nancy personally visits customers in their chalets if they are unwell, if it is a guest’s birthday she will organize balloons, if they complain she will deal with the problem immediately.’
And the Hovel and Hop House impressed judges of the Self Catering category Ros Debling and Joan Patten who made it their Runner Up. They described the owners as ‘a very enthusiastic couple who run and win the business.’ Of particular note was the locally sourced welcome pack with home made jam and fruit from their own farms.
Robert Collier, chief executive of Tourism South East, comments on this year’s successes, “It’s a delight to see such a high standard of entry – it gets better every year. We look forward to seeing more success as the winners go forward to the national Enjoy England Awards for Excellence in 2009.
ENDS
For further information contact: Rachel Shimell/Miranda Johnson on 02380 732981/01962 890208 or email rachel.shimell@ntlworld.com /mirandajohnson@btinternet.com or Dan Holmes, 023 8062 5449, dholmes@tourismse.com
Note to Editors:
Quotes from judges and images of all Award recipients are available by emailing the above contacts
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